This Day In Sports History; June 4th
Seattle is granted an NFL franchise, Dwight Clark passes away.
June 4th in sports is an all around significant day for the NFL. The city of Seattle, the home of Starbucks and grunge, are granted an NFL franchise and receiver Dwight Clark who was apart of one of the most clutch plays in history passes away.
Let us start on a lighter note. In 1974 the city of Seattle was granted an NFL franchise which would turn into the Seattle Seahawks. When the Seahawks first season began, they were apart of the AFC and in the AFC West conference. They stayed in the AFC West from 1977-2001 and then in 2002 they moved to the NFC West.
Since the Seahawks joined the league, they cultivated a rabid fan base that makes life hell for opposing teams. The Twelfth Man was at its peak the past few years when the Legion of Boom, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, and Byron Maxwell, played in Seattle.
The franchise has eleven division championships, two in the AFC and nine in the NFC, along with winning the NFC three times, and winning one Super Bowl over the Denver Broncos in 2013.
Seattle has been the home to Hall of Fame level players. Steve Largent really kicked off the franchise as he is regarded as one of the best receivers in NFL history. He still holds the majority of the Seahawks receiving records. Largent was followed by guys like Cortez Kennedy and Walter Jones.
This era of Seahawk football is led by Russell Wilson and has young weapons around him like D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Today also marks the anniversary of former 49ers receiver Dwight Clark passing away. In 2018, Clark passed after a battle with ALS.
Clark will always be remembered by one of the most clutch plays in NFL history. In the 1981 NFC Championship game against Dallas, the 49ers were down 27-21 with just fifty eight seconds remaining. On third and three, Montana surveyed the field and threw a high, six yard touchdown pass that Clark reeled in in the back of the end zone. He caught it with just his finger tips.
That catch pushed the 49ers to the Super Bowl where they would play against and beat the Cincinnati Bengals.
Clark had a sneaky underrated career. He won two Super Bowls, was a two time Pro Bowler, made the 1982 All Pro team, and led the NFL catches in 1982. His number 87 is retired by the 49ers and was inducted into the 49ers and Clemson Football Hall of Fame.
After working in the front office of San Francisco and Cleveland, Clark retired in 2001. Seventeen years later, the receiver passed away due to ALS.